Afghan War Casualty War: July 19-25

The following report compiles all significant security incidents confirmed by New York Times reporters throughout Afghanistan from the past seven days. It is necessarily incomplete as many local officials refuse to confirm casualty information. The report includes government claims of insurgent casualty figures, but in most cases these cannot be independently verified by The Times. Similarly, the reports do not include Taliban claims for their attacks on the government unless they can be verified. Both sides routinely inflate casualty totals for their opponents.

At least 55 pro-government forces and 54 civilians were killed over the last week of fighting in Afghanistan. The deadliest of the attacks took place in Takhar Province, where the Taliban attacked and captured two security bases in Ishkamish District, killing 24 soldiers and 13 police officers. Six police officers were also wounded. Both bases were later recaptured by reinforcements, which arrived for backup belatedly. In Logar Province, nine civilians were killed in an American airstrike on the Khaki Dag area of the Baraki Barak District, where a community of Kuchi nomads lived. The United Nations confirmed the casualties.

[Read the Afghan War Casualty Report from previous weeks.]

July 25 Kabul: 11 civilians killed

Eleven civilians, including five women and one child, were killed in a suicide attack, I.E.D. blast and car bomb in Kabul City, the capital. The Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs blamed the Taliban for the attacks, though insurgents only claimed responsibility for the car bomb. A Taliban spokesman said nine foreign officers were killed in the attack.

July 25 Nangarhar Province: 10 civilians killed

Seven women and three children, all members of a single family, were killed when a roadside bomb hit a vehicle heading to a wedding party in the Wazir Valley area of Khogyani District. Six others were wounded in the explosion.

July 25 Ghor Province: one police officer killed

One police officer was shot and killed by unknown gunmen on a motorcycle in Firozkoh City, the provincial capital. Police in the area opened fire on the attackers, killing one of them. The other was able to escape.

July 25 Takhar Province: 37 security forces killed

A Taliban Red Unit attacked and captured two security bases in Ishkamish District, killing 24 soldiers and 13 police officers. Six police officers were also wounded. Both bases were later recaptured by reinforcements, who arrived for backup late.

July 24 Kandahar Province: one police officer killed

A police officer in Kandahar City was killed by unknown armed men on motorcycles, each of whom managed to escape.

July 24 Faryab Province: two security forces killed

The Taliban attacked the police headquarters in Almar District with four Humvees, killing one soldier and one member of the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan’s intelligence agency. Four security officers were wounded and the Taliban seized a Humvee of security forces. The Taliban, three members of which were killed, according to local authorities, were eventually pushed back.

July 23 Paktika Province: two civilians killed

Two civilians, including a child, were killed when a car bomb targeted the vehicle of Abdul Wodood, a police commander of the Mata Khan District, in the village of Patni in Sharan City. The commander escaped the attack unharmed, while three of his bodyguards and three other civilians were wounded.

July 23 Ghor Province: one civilian killed

A roadside bomb placed close to the district council compound in the Dawlatyar District detonated, killing one civilian. The target was the district governor and other officials who were heading to the council. All escaped unharmed.

July 23 Badghis Province: one civilian killed

A high school teacher named Abdul Wahab was killed and two other civilians were wounded when a rocket fired from an Afghan helicopter hit their shop in the Joy-e-Ganj area of Bala Murghab District.

July 22 Logar Province: nine civilians killed

An American airstrike targeted a tent of Kuchi nomads in the Khaki Dag area of Baraki Barak District, where several hundred Kuchi families live. Nine civilians were killed, including four children and three women, and six others were wounded.

July 22 Nimroz Province: one civilian killed

A prosecutor was assassinated by unknown gunmen in Zaranj City, the provincial capital. An investigation into the incident was later opened.

July 22 Herat Province: three soldiers killed

Three soldiers who were traveling by public transport to Islam Qala port were taken prisoner by the Taliban at checkpoints in Jaghatai and Ghazel Islam villages in the Kohsan District. All three were killed.

July 21 Farah Province: three soldiers killed

The Taliban attack an army convoy in the Nalak area of Farahroud District, killing three soldiers and damaging several military vehicles. Local authorities claimed that the Taliban also suffered casualties.

July 21 Paktia Province: one pro-government militia member killed

A pro-government militia commander in the Zurmat District was killed when a car bomb targeted his vehicle in Gardez City, the provincial capital. Six others were wounded.

July 20 Badghis Province: five civilians killed

Five civilians, all members of a single family, were killed when an airstrike carried out by Afghan air forces in the Akazi area of Bala Murghab District hit the family’s house. The area is controlled by the Taliban.

July 20 Faryab Province: One police officer killed

A member of the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan’s intelligence agency, was wounded in the Taliban’s sniper attack in Qurghan district, when security forces were trying to transfer him to Maimana, the provincial capital, they were ambushed by the Taliban. One police officer was killed and four members of the security forces were wounded in an hour of clashes with the Taliban.

July 19 Kandahar Province: two civilians killed

An unknown armed men on motorcycles open fires on police officers in Kandahar City, the provincial capital, but he missed the target killing two civilians. The attacker managed to escape from the area.

July 19 Kunduz Province: one police officer killed

A police officer with his two civilian friends were walking inside Kunduz in first police district, when he was attacked by the Taliban, the police officer was killed and two friends were wounded. The attackers managed to escape from the area.

July 19 Faryab Province: one pro-government militia commander killed

The Taliban attacked security outposts in Faizabad District, killing a pro-government militia commander and wounding another over two hours of fighting. The Taliban were eventually pushed back by security forces.

July 19 Kabul City: nine civilians and one traffic police officer killed

On Friday, as law students waited outside Kabul University to take fourth-year exams shortly, a suicide bomber drove up and detonated an explosive device, killing 10 people and wounding 33 others.

July 19 Badghis Province: three civilians killed

A house was hit by an airstrike in the Du Juee area of Bala Murghab District, killing three civilians. There were no Taliban present when the airstrike was carried out, but the area is controlled by insurgents.

Reporting was contributed by the following New York Times reporters: Jawad Sukhanyar from Kabul, Najim Rahim from Mazar-e-Sharif, Taimoor Shah from Kandahar, Asadullah Timory from Herat, Zabihullah Ghazi from Jalalabad and Farooq Jan Mangal from Khost.




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